Top 100 Cover Songs |
Cover songs are a unique way to perform someone else’s tune, and the new creation can sound very much like the original or a totally different sound and feel. When an artist performs a cover of one song the outcome can be anything from pop to jazz-fusion, to rock, to acoustic ballads. This versatility means cover songs can give listeners a new perspective on other genres that they might not have given any effort before. With a different perspective and sound, musicians can take their skills and inject them into all sorts of music genres for endless variety or just create one perfect track with something old and something new as well as call on decades worth of repertoire possibilities. |
Here is the PCM Top 100 list of songs that became better known when another artist later recorded it. Sometimes, a fresh take on a song re-imagines to lyrics and music, sometimes, surprisingly, it can be better than the original. |
Cover Song – New Artist (Original Artist) |
1. Respect – Aretha Franklin (Otis Redding) |
2. Hurt – Johnny Cash (Nine Inch Nails) |
3. Unchained Melody – Righteous Brothers (Les Baxter <& 3 others!> in 1955) |
4. Hound Dog – Elvis Presley (Big Mama Thornton) |
5. Last Kiss – Pearl Jam (J. Frank Wilson) |
6. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun – Cyndi Lauper (Robert Hazard) |
7. Twist and Shout – The Beatles (Isley Brothers) |
8. With A Little Help From My Friends – Joe Cocker (The Beatles) |
9. (Tie) Mack the Knife – Bobby Darin, Louis Armstrong (Lotte Lenya) |
10. I Love Rock and Roll – Joan Jett and the Blackhearts (The Arrows) |
11. Sea of Love – Honeydrippers (Phil Phillips) |
12. Hallelujah – Jeff Buckley (Leonard Cohen) |
13. Handy Man – James Taylor (Jimmy Jones 1960, Del Shannon 1964) |
14. All Along the Watchtower – Jimi Hendrix (Bob Dylan) |
15. Mony Mony – Billy Idol (Tommy James) |
16. Venus – Bananarama (Shocking Blue) |
17. Blue Suede Shoes – Elvis Presley (Carl Perkins) |
18. Time Is On My Side – The Rolling Stones (Irma Thomas) |
19. You Really Got Me – Van Halen (Kinks) |
20. Blinded By The Light – Manfred Mann’s Earth Band (Bruce Springsteen) |
21. I Will Always Love You – Whitney Houston (Dolly Parton) |
22. Route 66 – Depeche Mode (Nat King Cole) |
23. Volare – Bobby Rydell (Domenico Modugno or Dean Martin 1958) |
24. Tainted Love – Soft Cell (Gloria Jones) |
25. Big Yellow Taxi – Counting Crows & Vanessa Carlton (Joni Mitchell 1975, Neighborhood 1970) |
26. Black Magic Woman – Santana (Fleetwood Mac) |
27. Locomotion – Grand Funk Railroad (Little Eva) |
28. First Cut is the Deepest – Rod Stewart, or Sheryl Crow (Cat Stevens) |
29. Mockingbird – Carly Simon & James Taylor (Inez & Charlie Fox) |
30. On Broadway – George Benson (The Drifters) |
31. What A Wonderful World – Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (Louis Armstrong) |
32. House of the Rising Sun – The Animals (unknown) |
33. Kiss – Art of Noise with Tom Jones (Prince) |
34. Me & Bobby McGee – Janis Joplin (Roger Miller) |
35. The Power of Love – Celine Dion (Jennifer Rush) |
36. You Really Got Me – Van Halen (The Kinks) |
37. Lady Marmalade – Christina Aguilera, Lil’ Kim, Mya and Pink (Labelle) |
38. I Fought The Law – The Clash (Bobby Fuller Four) |
39. Proud Mary – Ike & Tina Turner (Creedence Clearwater Revival) |
40. Killing Me Softly – The Fugees (Roberta Flack) |
41. More Than Words – Frankie J (Extreme) |
42. Jump Jive An’ Wail – Brian Setzer Orchestra (Louis Prima) |
43. Axel F – Crazy Frog (Harold Faltermeyer) |
44. Greatest Love of All – Whitney Houston (George Benson) |
45. The Man Who Sold The World – Nirvana (David Bowie) |
46. Across the Universe – Fiona Apple (The Beatles) |
47. Another Saturday Night – Cat Stevens (Sam Cooke) |
48. Smokin’ In The Boy’s Room – Mötley Crüe (Brownsville Station) |
49. Car Wash – Christina Aguilera (Rose Royce) |
50. Bizarre Love Triangle – Frente! (New Order) |
51. Beyond the Sea – Bobby Darin (Roger Williams) |
52. Nothing Compares 2 U – Sinead O’Connor (Prince) |
53. MacArthur Park – Donna Summer (Richard Harris) |
54. Mad World – Gary Jules (Tears for Fears) |
55. Rockin Robin – Michael Jackson/Jackson 5 (Bobby Day) |
56. My Way – Elvis Presley (Frank Sinatra) |
57. Listen To Your Heart – D.H.T. (Roxette) |
58. Soul Man – Blues Brothers (Sam and Dave) |
59. He Don’t Love You (Like I Love You) – Tony Orlando & Dawn (Jerry Butler) |
60. Summertime Blues – the Who (Eddie Cochran 1958, Blue Cheer 1968) |
61. Piece of My Heart – Big Brother and the Holding Company (Erma Franklin) |
62. Hey Joe – Jimi Hendrix (The Leaves) |
63. Rich Girl – Gwen Stefani Featuring Eve (Lady Saw) |
64. I Swear – All-4-One (John Michael Montgomery) |
65. Some Guys Have All The Luck – Rod Stewart (the Persuaders) |
66. Got to Get You Into My Life – Earth, Wind and Fire (The Beatles) |
67. Fever – Madonna (Little Willie John 1956, Peggy Lee 1958, Elvis 1960, McCoys 1965) |
68. Barbara-Ann – Beach Boys (the Regents) |
69. Woodstock – Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (Joni Mitchell) |
70. It’s My Life – No Doubt (Talk Talk) |
71. Don’t Be Cruel – Cheap Trick (Elvis Presley) |
72. Pretty Woman – Van Halen (Roy Orbison) |
73. Boy From New York City – Manhatten Transfer (Ad- Libs) |
74. Hazy Shade of Winter – Bangles (Simon and Garfunkle) |
75. Cherish – David Cassidy (the Association) |
76. Torn – Natalie Imbruglia (Ednaswap) |
77. Careless Whisper – Seether (Wham!) |
78. How Am I Supposed To Live Without You – Michael Bolton (Laura Branigan) |
79. Let’s Stay Together – Tina Turner (Al Green) |
80. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) – They Might Be Giants (The Four Lads) |
81. Turn The Beat Around – Gloria Estefan (Vicki Sue Robinson) |
82. Funkytown – Pseudo Echo (Lipps Inc.) |
83. Red Red Wine – UB40 (Neil Diamond) |
84. Whiskey in the Jar – Metallica (Thin Lizzie) |
85. Sukiyaki – A Taste of Honey (Kyu Sakamoto) |
86. I Heard It Through The Grapevine – Creedence Clearwater Revival (Gladys Knight) |
87. Come Together – Aerosmith (The Beatles) |
88. American Woman – Lenny Kravitz (The Guess Who) |
89. I Will Survive – Cake (Gloria Gaynor) |
90. Country Roads (Take Me Home) – Toots and the Maytals (John Denver) |
91. Do You Wanna Dance – The Ramones (Bobby Freeman) |
92. California Sun – The Ramones (The Rivieras, among others) |
93. Take Me To The River – Talking Heads (Al Green) |
94. Higher Ground – Red Hot Chili Peppers (Stevie Wonder) |
95. This Old Heart Of Mine – Rod Stewart (The Isley Brothers) |
96. Smooth Criminal – Alien Ant Farm (Michael Jackson) |
97. Take My Breath Away – Jessica Simpson (Berlin) |
98. Because The Night – 10,000 Maniacs (Bruce Springsteen/Patti Smith) |
99. O-o-h Child – Dino (5 Stairsteps) |
100. (What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace, Love, and Understanding – Elvis Costello (Nick Lowe) |